Coaxial connector socket assembly



c. w. CONCELMAN 3,059,208

COAXIAL CONNECTOR SOCKET ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 14, 1960 J8 \flw mmfx m 17 ////7///////// 1!; Z? 3:11: A Z3 job INVENTOR (4P1. M 6 0N654 MAW ATTORNEY age.

FIG. 1.

Unite tates are 3,059,298 COAXIAL CGNNECTOR SOCKET ASSEMBLY Carl W. Concelman, Danbnry, Cnn., assignor to Amphenol-Borg Electronics Corporation, Broadview, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 75,802 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-65) This invention relates to electrical connector sockets and, in particular, a coaxial connector for making electrical connection with a prong-like contact member.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a coaxial connector adapted, in particular, for connection with a prong-like contact member and which connector may be extremely small in physical size and which oflers the further advantage of simplicity and economy with respect to fabrication and use.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved coaxial connector which offers the advantage of long life operation and, in particular, a connector made up of an insulator shell mounted between inner and outer conductors and which incorporates a sleeve element in the entrarice end of the connector. The sleeve is aligned in front of the connector inner conductor so as to prevent insertion of oversized prong contact members into the connector to eliminate this cause of connector break- The sleeve also serves to align the prong contact member for proper insertion into the connector to eliminate connector breakage caused by the insertion of misaligned prong members into the connector.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the invention taken in conjunction with the figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view in elevation of a connector embodying the features of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view in elevation of the novel sleeve element of the improved connector.

Reference is made to the figures which illustrate a coaxial connector embodying the principles of the invention. Connector .10 is specifically designed to effect electrical contact with a prong-like contact member 11 upon insertion of member 11 into connector =10. The pronglike portion of member 11 is shown in dashed outline in Connector 10 involves a substantially cylindrical inner conductor 12 made of conducting material and has flat and pierced terminal means 9 at its rearward end to which an electrical contact lead wire (not shown) may be connected. The forward or entrance end of inner conductor 12 is provided with a hollow socket formed by thin elongated resilient expandable fingers 13 to receive the prong-like contact 11 upon slidably inserting the latter into socket 13 in a manner familiar with the art. A cylindrical shell 14 made of electrical insulating and resilient plastic material is mounted coaxially over inner conductor 12. In a preferred embodiment, shell 14 is a molded hollow tubular body made of nylon. However, it will be understood that shell 14 may be molded or otherwise formed of other insulator material having like resilient characteristics for accomplishing the assembly of connector 10 in a manner to be described hereinafter.

Shell 14 has a longitudinal through bore 15 provided with a uniform diameter forward portion 15a and a restricted or smaller diameter rearward bore portion 1512. Shell 14 is provided with an enlarged and thus structural re-enforced annular flange 16 at the forward or entrance end of connector 10. A counterbore 17 surrounds the entrance mouth of shell bore 15.

The outside diameter of inner conductor 12 is formed with an annular recess '18 near terminal means 9, which recess 18 serves as a keyway designed for operative association with restricted portion 15b upon mounting shell 14 coaxially on inner conductor 12. The restricted 3,059,208 Patented Oct. 16, 1962 bore port-ion 15b of shell 14 is shaped to snap into recess 18 by reason of the resiliency of the nylon material constituting shell 14- when the latter is assembled on conductor )12. The resiliency of nylon permits the shell material to flow against and substantially fill recess 18, whereby a wedge action takes place in keyway 18 for locking shell 14 permanently on conductor 12 as shown in FIG. 1. Upon assembly of these elements, it will be understood that relative axial movement of one with respect to the other is prevented.

Connector 10 also includes a cylindrical outer conductor 19. Outer conductor 19 is a tubular body made of conducting material and has a hollow through bore 20 for mounting conductor :19 coaxially on shell 14. Forward end of conductor 19 has an annular flange 21 which abuts against a contiguous wall of shell flange 16. The rearward end of conductor 19 is crimped or squeezed at 22 to bite into the nylon shell 14 for permanently locking outer conductor 19 in coaxial assembly on shell 14 as shown in FIG. 1. It will be understood that after carrying out the foregoing assembly, axial movement of outer conductor 19 with respect to shell 14 is prevented.

It will be readily understood that after assemblying a connector such as the type illustrated herein, that the connector is not capable of disassembly if for any reason the connector or some component thereof, such as the socket fingers, break during use of the connector. Not infrequently, such connector and, in particular, the socket fingers thereof are damaged upon inserting a prong contact therein by reason of carelessness or lack of attention by the person making the connection. For example, damage to a connector is not infrequently caused by the careless attempt to insert an oversized prong contact member into the connector. Sometimes this results in the prong member becoming stuck in the connector; other times it crushes the socket fingers against the wall of bore portion 151). Socket fingers 13 in FIG. -1 are shown in contracted position, i.e., prior to insertion of contact 11. It will be understood that fingers 13 are extended to grip contact prong 11 upon insertion therein. In other instances, damage or breakage occur when the prong contact 11 is out of axial alignment with the socket axis as one is making connection. In this situation, the narrow end of prong 1-1 jams or wedges one or more of the socket fingers thereby causing the damage.

The instant improvement contemplates the use of a sleeve member 23 in connector 10. In the assembled connector, it is seen from FIG. 1 that shell flange 16 axially overlaps beyond the forward end of socket fingers 13. Sleeve 23 is designed to be permanently mounted in the forward or entrance mouth portion of shell 14, that is to say, the portion re-enforced by flange 16 and in front of socket fingers '13. In preferred form, sleeve 23 is a substantially cylindrical shaped body of conducting material, such as brass. Sleeve 23 is provided with an axial through bore 24 aligned with the axis of the contact socket defined by fingers 13. A dish-shaped flange 25 is provided at the forward end of sleeve 23. The outer cylindrical surface 27 of sleeve 23 includes a radially extending and annular tooth 26 defined in cross-section by two faces 26a, 26b as shown in the figures. The rear tooth face 26a confronts socket fingers 13 and is inclined inwardly from a maximum radial dimension to a minimum radial dimension. The front tooth face 26b extends substantially perpendicular to the axial dimension of bore 15 and confronts the entrance mouth of connector 10. The triangular shape of tooth 26 as viewed in the figures permits insertion of sleeve 23 into the nylon material bore 15 upon assemblying sleeve 23 into shell 14 without damaging connector 10 or, in particular, shell 14. The resiliency of nylon provides enough flow to allow the foregoing described insertion. 23'is fully inserted, its flange 25 engages counter-bore 17,

The fully inserted sleeve 23 is permanently locked in shell 14 as illustrated herein because the resiliency of nylon permits same to flow around tooth 26 during and after assembly of sleeve 23 into shell 14, whereby the nylon material fills the space between the front perpendicular tooth face 26b and sleeve flange 25. In cross section, it is seen that tooth 26 in effect positively bites into the nylon shell material to create a wedge-like lock with shell 14. Since tooth face 26b is substantially perpendicular to the axis of shell 14, the wedge loc formed thereby resists pull out or escape of sleeve 23 from connector after assembly and during use of the connector. It is also noted that the rearward face 28 of assembled sleeve 23 is spaced from and in front of the inward ends of socket fingers 13 to permit freedom of movement of the latter.

When sleeve 7 The use of sleeve 23 markedly improves durability of' connectors of the type contemplated herein. For example, bore 24 may be made of selected diameter to prevent the insertion of an oversized prong contact 11 into connector 10. Furthermore, the presence of sleeve 23 automatically aligns prong contact 11 properly as the contact is being pushed into sleeve bore 24 when connection is being made to prevent damage to socket fingers 13 by a misaligned connection. The same advantage obtains upon removal of the prong contact 11 from connec'tor '10. In addition, sleeve 23 provides an axial hearing support for the prong contact 11 inserted in connector 10. As a result of the enumerated advantages, spring fingers 13 may be made of lighter material in comparison to the spring fingers of prior art connectors of like design because sleeve 23 supports the bearing load of the prong contact 11 and maintains same axially aligned.

As an illustration of one embodiment of a sleeve 23, the CD. of cylindrical sleeve surface 27 was dimensioned at approximately .128 inch for insertion into a nylon bore 15a of about .1285 inch. The maximum 0D. for tooth 26 (designated at t in FIG. 2) measured about .14 inch and face 260 was inclined at an angle of about with respect to the horizontal, i.e., the axis of bore 24.

It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A coaxial connector for making electrical connection with'a prong contact member comprising, a longitudinal inner conductor having opposed forward and rearward ends, terminal means at said rearward end for receiving an electrical lead wire, resilient socket means at said forward end for receiving the prong contact member inserted therein upon effecting electrical contact therer with, a shell having an axial through bore and formed of electrically insulating material, said shell being mounted axially over said inner conductor and having a radial flange at its forward end overlapping axially beyond the forward end of said socket means, said shell bore being counterbored at the forward end thereof, an outer conducting member mounted over said shell, means on said shell and said outer conductor for holding both in assembly, means on said shell and said inner conductor for holding same in assembly, and an annular sleeve having a cylindrical outer surface equipped to fit into said shell bore and having a funnel-shaped forward end for register against said shell counterbore upon assembly of said sleeve into said shell, said sleeve being spaced from and in front of said socket means, said sleeve defining the entrance end of said connector for inserting. the prong con tact member therein, said sleeve having a through bore aligned axially with said socket means and having tooth means extending radially from its cylindrical outer surface, said tooth means =being in biting register with said insulating material shell .and having a first face inwardly inclined in the direction towards said socket means and also having an opposite face substantially perpendicular to the axis of said shell and confronting the entrance end of said conductor, whereby said sleeve is readily insertable into said shell and resists pull-out therefrom upon assembly therein, said sleeve bore axially aligning said prong memher for insertion of same into said socket means and preventing insertion of an oversized prong contact member into said socket means.

2. A coxial connector for making electrical connection with a prong contact member comprising, a longitudinal inner conductor having opposed forward and rearward ends, terminal means at said rearward end for receiving an electrical lead wire, resilient socket finger means at said forward end for receiving the prong contact member inserted therein upon eifecting electrical contact therewith, a shell having an axial through bore and formed of electrically insulating and resilient material, said shell being mounted axially over said inner conductor and having a radial flange at its forward end overlapping axially beyond the forward end of said resilient finger means, an outer conducting member mounted over said shell, means on said shell and said outer conductor for holding both in assembly, means on said shell and said inner conductor for holding same in assembly, said shell bore being counterbored at its forward end and an annular sleeve of conducting material having a cylindrical outer surface equipped to fit into the bore of said shell and also having a funnel-shaped forward end for register against said shell counterbore upon assembly of said sleeve into said shell, said sleeve being spaced from and in front of said resilient finger means when assembled in said shell, said sleeve defining the entrance end of said connector for inserting the prong contact member therein, said sleeve having a through bore aligned axially with said resilient finger means and having an annular tooth extending radially from its cylindrical outer. surface in biting register with contiguous portions of said insulating shell, said tooth having a downwardly inclined first face confronting said resilient finger means and also having an opposite face substantially perpendicular to the axis of said shell and confronting the entrance end of said connector, wherein said sleeve is readily insertable into said shell and resists pull-out therefrom upon assembly therein, said sleeve bore axially aligning said prong member for insertion of same into said resilient finger means and preventing insertion of an oversized prong contact member into said resilient finger means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,700,144 Flanagan Jan.'18, 1955 2,805,406 Grovemiller et a1. Sept. 3, 1957 2,860,316 Watters Nov. 11, 1958 2,972,730 Abrams Feb. 21, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 614,012 Great Britain Dec. 8, 1948 691,560 Great Britain May 13, 1953 

